England U21 vs Germany U21. Under-21 International.
Vitality Stadium.
England U21s suffer first home defeat since 2011
Wednesday 27 March 2019 10:50, UK
England U21s saw their 18-match unbeaten run come to an end after a 2-1 defeat to reigning European U21 champions Germany at the Vitality Stadium.
With England senior boss Gareth Southgate watching on from the stands, the hosts thought they had secured a draw after Dominic Solanke cancelled out Mahmoud Dahoud's 27th-minute opener.
However, Felix Uduokhai struck in stoppage time to make sure Aidy Boothroyd's side's final scheduled fixture before this summer's European U21 Championship ended in defeat.
Boothroyd, whose team begin their European Championship campaign on June 18 against France in Cesena, rung the changes from his side's 1-1 draw against Poland last Thursday, with only Phil Foden and Kieran Dowell keeping their places in the starting line-up, and the lack of continuity showed with the hosts struggling to find their rhythm.
Germany, managed by Stefan Kuntz, showed why they are the defending European U21 champions. They were deservedly ahead when Dahoud, who was played onside by Kyle Walker-Peters, chested down Arnie Maier's through ball on the edge of the penalty area before striking the ball beyond the dive of Dean Henderson and into the bottom corner.
The visitors could have been further ahead in the 36th minute but Gian-Luca Waldschmidt's shot rebounded off the foot of the post, while Nadiem Amiri could not turn in the rebound with the goal at his mercy.
Despite being second best for nearly all of the opening 45 minutes, England somehow found themselves level at the break. Foden's pass found its way to Solanke, who bundled his way round goalkeeper Florian Muller to score with his first real chance.
The equaliser boosted Boothroyd's side and they started the second half with much more urgency. Foden was at the heart of England's positive start and his long-range effort was inches away from giving the hosts the lead.
A flurry of second-half substitutions did not help the flow of the contest, with Boothroyd making six alterations to Kuntz's seven.
England's only two defeats in the last two years came against Germany, including a semi-final penalty shoot-out loss at Euro 2017 and they were to suffer further disappointment at the hands of the visitors.
With Walker-Peters lying injured in the box, Uduokhai smashed home Benjamin Henrichs' cross as Germany inflicted a first home defeat on the Young Lions since 2011.
Boothroyd felt play should have been stopped for a head injury before Germany's stoppage-time winner at the Vitality Stadium.
Defender Walker-Peters was down in the box when German defender Uduokhai fired home a minute into added time.
"It's disappointing to lose a run of games by an official that should have, in my opinion, blown for a free-kick," said Boothroyd.
"Kyle got caught, went down. To me, it's a head injury, it's Under-21s, it's a friendly - it stops. I'm disappointed, but we should not have given away the corner in the first place."
